HIKING BOOTS ON THE HEELS OF SNEAKERS

Consumer spending for athletic footwear in the U.S. declined
3.2% during '94 as buyers purchased 1.3% fewer pairs than the
year before, according to a consumer study released by the
Athletic Footwear Association (AFA). But sales of hiking,
hunting and fishing boots grew more than 50%, exceeding $1B in
sales for the first time. The study also found that the average
price of a pair of sneakers declined about 2% from $31.82 to
$31.19. The study was sponsored by the AFA and conducted by
Footwear Market Insights of Nashville, TN (AFA).